I need to tell you something that might surprise you. I was a competitive athlete for most of my life. I represented Great Britain in triathlon. I completed Ironman races. I trained six, sometimes seven days a week for years. And yet, some of the most rewarding work I’ve ever done as a coach is helping people take their very first walk around the block.
Because I know what it’s like to feel disconnected from your body. I know what it’s like to look at the gap between where you are and where you want to be and feel completely overwhelmed. And I know that starting is always — always — the hardest part.
If you haven’t exercised in years — or even decades — and you’re reading this, I want you to know that you’re already doing something brave. You’re considering it. You’re open to it. That matters more than you think.
First: let go of what you “should” be doing
Before we talk about what to do, let’s talk about what to let go of. Because the biggest barrier to starting isn’t lack of knowledge or even lack of motivation. It’s the weight of expectation you’re carrying about what exercise “should” look like.
Social media is full of people running marathons, doing HIIT workouts, lifting heavy weights, and performing complicated gym routines. If that’s your reference point, and you can barely walk to the end of the road without getting breathless, the gap feels insurmountable. So you don’t start. Because if you can’t do that, what’s the point?
Here’s the point: you don’t need to do any of that. Not now. Maybe not ever. Exercise doesn’t have to look a certain way to count. A ten-minute walk counts. Gentle stretching counts. Dancing to one song in your living room counts. Whatever gets your body moving — at whatever pace and intensity you can manage right now — that’s enough.
Let go of the idea that exercise needs to be punishing, sweaty, or Instagram-worthy. Let go of comparisons. Let go of what you used to be able to do. Start where you are, not where you think you should be.
Starting smaller than you think (the 5-minute rule)
One of the most effective strategies I use with clients who haven’t moved in a long time is what I call the 5-minute rule. It’s embarrassingly simple, and it works beautifully.
The rule is this: commit to just 5 minutes of movement. That’s it. Five minutes. You can do more if you feel like it, but you don’t have to. The only commitment is five minutes.
Why does this work? Because the biggest obstacle isn’t the exercise itself — it’s the mental resistance to starting. When you tell yourself you need to do a 45-minute workout, your brain immediately starts generating excuses. “I don’t have time.” “I’m too tired.” “I’ll do it tomorrow.” But five minutes? Your brain can’t argue with five minutes. You can do five minutes in your pyjamas. You can do five minutes before the kettle boils.
What usually happens is this: you start moving, and once you’re moving, you don’t want to stop. Five minutes becomes ten, becomes fifteen. But even if it genuinely is just five minutes, you’ve done something. You’ve broken the inertia. You’ve created a tiny habit. And tomorrow, you’ll do it again.
Over weeks and months, those five-minute sessions build into something real. Not because you forced yourself through gruelling workouts, but because you made it so easy to start that there was no reason not to.
Walking: the most underrated exercise
I am going to say something that the fitness industry doesn’t want you to hear: walking is one of the most effective exercises you can do.
Walking regulates your nervous system, reduces cortisol, supports cardiovascular health, aids digestion, improves mood, burns calories, supports joint health, and requires absolutely no equipment, no gym membership, no special clothing, and no prior fitness.
For someone who hasn’t exercised in years, walking is the perfect starting point. Not power walking. Not speed walking. Just walking. At whatever pace feels comfortable. For whatever distance you can manage.
Start with 10 minutes. If that feels easy, make it 15 next week, then 20. Build gradually. There’s no rush. The goal isn’t to walk a certain distance or burn a certain number of calories — it’s to move your body regularly and to begin rebuilding the habit of daily movement.
If you can walk outside — even better. Time in nature adds another layer of benefit: fresh air, natural light (which helps regulate your sleep), and the grounding effect of being in green spaces. But if outside isn’t possible, walking on the spot, pacing your living room, or walking up and down your hallway all count.
Walking is the most underrated exercise on the planet. Don’t let anyone tell you it doesn’t count.
Finding movement you don’t dread
Here’s a question I ask every new client: “What kind of movement did you enjoy as a child?”
The answers are always fascinating. Swimming. Climbing trees. Riding bikes. Dancing. Trampolining. Playing in the park. Roller skating. None of them ever say “running on a treadmill” or “doing burpees.”
Somewhere along the way, we learned that exercise has to be structured, systematic, and — let’s be honest — miserable to be effective. That’s simply not true. The best exercise for you is the one you’ll actually do. And you’re far more likely to do something you enjoy than something you dread.
So if you hate running, don’t run. If the gym fills you with anxiety, don’t go. If spin classes make you want to cry, that’s information — not a weakness.
Try things. Be curious. Explore what feels good in your body:
- Swimming — gentle on joints, full-body workout, deeply calming
- Yoga — builds flexibility, strength, and body awareness. Brilliant for beginners
- Dancing — at home, in a class, wherever. Joy and movement combined
- Cycling — outdoors or on a stationary bike. Low impact, great for legs and cardiovascular health
- Gardening — genuinely counts as exercise. Bending, lifting, carrying, digging
- Pilates — excellent for core strength, posture, and body control
- Bodyweight exercises at home — squats, lunges, wall press-ups, gentle stretches. No equipment needed
The goal is to find something that makes you feel good — not punished. When exercise becomes something you look forward to rather than something you endure, you’ve found the key to making it stick.
The fear of the gym (and why you don’t need one)
I want to acknowledge something that doesn’t get talked about enough: the gym can be terrifying. Particularly if you haven’t been in years, if you’ve gained weight, if you don’t know how to use the equipment, or if the thought of exercising in front of other people makes your stomach clench.
That feeling is completely valid. You’re not being silly. You’re not being weak. You’re responding to a real vulnerability — the fear of being seen, judged, or found inadequate in a space that can feel intimidating and exclusive.
Here’s what I want you to know: you don’t need a gym. You can build an effective exercise routine entirely at home with zero equipment. Walking, bodyweight exercises, stretching, yoga videos online, dance workouts on YouTube — all of it counts, all of it works, and none of it requires you to set foot in a gym.
If you want to go to a gym eventually, that’s wonderful. When you’re ready, look for smaller, community-focused gyms rather than big commercial chains. Consider a few sessions with a personal trainer to learn the basics and build confidence. Many gyms offer off-peak hours when it’s quieter. But none of this is necessary. You can get fit at home. Full stop.
How your body adapts: what to expect in week 1, month 1, month 3
Understanding what to expect physically can really help manage your expectations and keep you going through the early weeks.
Week 1
Expect to feel sore. Your muscles haven’t been challenged in a while, and they’re going to let you know about it. This is called DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) and it’s completely normal. It typically peaks 24-48 hours after exercise and eases within a few days. Stay hydrated, move gently on rest days, and know that it’s a sign your body is responding.
You might also feel tired. Your body is adapting to a new demand, and that takes energy. Go to bed earlier if you can. Rest is part of the process, not a sign of weakness.
Month 1
By the end of the first month, several things will have shifted. The soreness after exercise will be much less intense. You’ll notice that things that felt hard in week one — a certain distance walked, a particular exercise — now feel manageable. Your energy levels will likely be improving. Your sleep may be better. Your mood will almost certainly be more stable.
You probably won’t see dramatic changes in the mirror yet, and the scales may not have moved much. That’s normal. Internal changes always precede external ones. Your body is rebuilding its foundations — cardiovascular efficiency, muscular endurance, joint stability, neural pathways. The visible changes come later.
Month 3
This is where things get exciting. By three months of consistent, gentle exercise, your body has made real adaptations. Your cardiovascular fitness has improved noticeably. Your muscles are stronger. Your posture may be better. Your clothes might fit differently. You have more energy, better sleep, and a notably improved relationship with your body.
Perhaps most importantly, by month three, exercise has started to become a habit. It’s no longer something you force yourself to do — it’s just something you do. The identity shift has begun. You’re becoming a person who moves. And that shift, once it takes hold, is incredibly powerful.
When to progress (and how to know you’re ready)
Progression should feel natural, not forced. The signs that you’re ready to do a bit more include:
- Your current routine feels comfortable rather than challenging
- You’re recovering well between sessions (no lingering soreness or fatigue)
- You feel mentally ready for something more
- You’re enjoying what you’re doing and curious about trying something new
When you do progress, do it gradually. Add five minutes to a walk. Add one more session per week. Try a slightly harder variation of an exercise. Increase your pace fractionally. Never double your effort overnight — that’s a recipe for injury and burnout.
A good general guideline is to increase your intensity or duration by no more than 10% per week. So if you’re walking 20 minutes three times a week, the next week might be 22 minutes. Small, steady, sustainable.
And if life gets busy and you need to scale back for a while, that’s fine. This isn’t all or nothing. A few days off won’t undo your progress. You can always come back to where you were.
The hardest part is starting. Not because it’s physically hard, but because it asks you to believe you’re worth the effort. You are.
I want to end by saying this: it is never too late. I’ve worked with women in their 50s and 60s who hadn’t exercised in decades and are now stronger, more energised, and more confident than they’ve been in years. Your body is capable of extraordinary adaptation at any age. It just needs you to begin.
If you’re over 40 and feeling like the ship has sailed — it hasn’t. If you’ve tried and given up a hundred times — this time can be different. Not because you’ll suddenly develop superhuman willpower, but because this time, you’ll start small enough to succeed.
In F.L.A.M.E, movement is one of the core pillars — and it’s designed to meet you exactly where you are. Whether that’s a five-minute walk or a full strength session, there’s a place for you. Because everyone deserves to feel strong and at home in their body.
Five minutes. That’s all. Start there.